Karl Rove was talking to the Memphis Daily News about Rove's book and current political news. When asked about Harold Ford Jr. (right after Rove called healthcare "part of a more toxic, larger stew the Democrats have created") Rove had nothing but glowing things to say about the crypto-Republican from Tennessee turned erstwhile "Democratic" candidate and Wall Street baron:
"He’s a guy with a lot of intelligence and a lot of drive and ambition, and (incumbent Democratic New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand is) a weak candidate. We’ll see how it plays out. He’s an aggressive campaigner.
He’s had a few missteps here at the beginning, but ... (Ford) is an articulate, attractive candidate who can sway crowds.
As if that weren't bad enough, he goes on to repeat the same talking points Ford has been using about New York embracing "candidates who’ve moved in from elsewhere" like Clinton and Robert F. Kennedy.
My takeaway from this is two things: one, like the Lieberman situation in Connecticut, the Republicans realize they have no chance with one of their own, so intend to tacitly back the most conservative Democrat available to them. And two, that if Karl Rove is endorsing a Democrat in order to try and get rid of her, Senator Gillibrand certainly must be doing a lot of things right.